I would like to compete in the IBA rally next year with my 2006 girlie. It has been a great bike and I have been thinking that I could ride it in the rally.If you don't know about the rally it is an epic, mother of all motorcycle rallys. 11 days over 13k miles and you hit all lower 48 states. , I love my girlie and have done all the maintenance and farkles since 6500 miles when I bought her. She now has 22k miles. I would like to think she is capable ofdoingsuch an event but looking at the previous rallyentrylistall the bikes are shaft drive and full fairing super cruisers. My mechanical concerns include chain life, stator/rectifier life, enough lighting, additional fuel, rules dictate no more than 11.5 gallons. And payloadcapacity.

There are many GS BMW's that have done the IBR. Granted, they have drive shafts, but much like your motorcycle they don't have large fairings, and as the route changes each two years, sometimes they are helpful for the bonus locations which can be down dirt or gravel roads.

Usually the motorcycles in the IBR are ridden hard, and put away wet. Oil changes don't happen during this rally. Drive shafts reduce the maintenance time during the rally, as do drive belts. Can you get a drive belt conversion for your motorcycle? Just a thought.

If I might be direct with you, you've only put 15,000 miles on your motorcycle yourself. That's nothing compared to what the IBR riders do. These guys and gals will ride 1000 miles for a hamburger. They'll run across the country because they are bored. They are not like most people, and based on your mileage they are not like you. The IBR is very expensive ("11 days, 11,000 miles, $11,000" is the unofficial motto many of the riders use), and in spite of what they claim it is dangerous. This is an endurance race, where winning riders will forgo sleep for days, speed in triple digits, ride at night in forested areas with deer, and push their bodies and minds to the point of exhaustion and fatigue and in some cases hallucinations. Can your motorcycle do it? Yes. Can you do it? You got to answer that. There are many other rallies that are only a few days and a few thousand miles. How many of those have you completed? They are a blast, and you'll get to learn a lot about yourself and your motorcycle without incurring the expense of the IBR. Many IBR riders also enter these rallies, so you'd get the meet the IBRers and learn from them. Most are very welcoming to sincere interested people, and I can't recommend this enough to you.

Also, have you read Against The Wind, a book about a finisher in an IBR. It appears pretty objective, and is a fun read.

Oh, are you in the IBA? I think that is a requirement to enter the IBR.

A friend of mine has done some IBA stuff on his Tiger. I think his was the older version though - the 900. It blew the top end on the way to Alaska a couple years ago. He had about 150k on it. I think that's a bit premature. He rides fast, weighs well over 300 and does not pack light. I'm guessing these are factors.

I heard from a turkish guy at work that he knows of people with 500k kms on their triples at home. Your bike should be fine.

Hey, we wern't trying to discourage you, just offer up our observation for hard core LD riding. If you are going to do this, keep up posted on your progress training for it. It would be fun to follow along.

That said, if you've never even tried some long distance riding there's a few things to try..

Try the saddlesore..but also try 1500 miles in 3 days - or 3000 in 6 days...I'm hesitant to suggest more until you've tried at least that. I think you'll be surprised at how hard you might find it. If you manage that then try some of the other IB challenges and if you're stilll on board go for the rally.

Tiger will do fine.
As far as your shaft drive concern, if you dig deeper you may find a number of DNF's due to the shaft failing. When that happens your DONE. if the chain breaks it is possible to carry a spare and replace it rather quickly. I would certainly prefer a chain drive over shaft any day.
Have you done the "voltage fix" for the Tiger?
Carry an extra stator as well if you are concerned.

As far as your shaft drive concern, if you dig deeper you may find a number of DNF's due to the shaft failing. When that happens your DONE. if the chain breaks it is possible to carry a spare and replace it rather quickly. I would certainly prefer a chain drive over shaft any day.

Keep digging for the chain failures, which often turn the engine case into a room with a view.

David Dixon was a inmate on this forum, there is a thread in the Aussie lounge when he was preparing for it, he hit a deer on the final day of the 2009 rally. Whilst he died doing something he loved you need to understand the risks.

I am a novice and I'm the first to admit that this is a major undertaking. I will be doing small one to three day events as well as going to the next iba start line. I've been modifying the tiger and planning for better equipment such as a better saddle and lights.
I'm not sure about an auto oiler, I'm under the impression that sticky oil will collect road sand and eat the chain and sprockets. I've been using Teflon dry lubes so that doesn't happen.

I will be studying blogs of riders that have done this and the book referenced earlier in this post. I have lots to learn.

If you start with a new high quality chain and sprockets this would be a non-issue for 11-12k miles. Just give it a spritz of the teflon twice a day. I put a new C&S on my Tiger and went on an 8k ride soon after with my fat ass and a heavily loaded bike. No chain adjustment needed the entire trip. Several 7-800 mile days, mountains, rain, high speed desert runs on 100+ degree days. No issues. No it wasn't the IB by any means but 12k is not going to affect a good chain.

As far as the IBR, the previous posters know far more than I. Heed the advice, learn, and if you chose, give it a go! I would love to see/hear the evolution of your attempt.

__________________
"...when I handed the 40 ouncer to him, he got that far off stare that a cat gets when it just gets done licking its ass for the last 15". Yeah, THAT stare." -WTF-Over
"Don't come in here with your thoughtfulness, empathy, and reason... this is shit, up with which, I shall not put." -Boondoggle

I'm looking to be a finisher, not a podium winner. I've done some 700 mile days but not many. My riding buddy and I will be doing the saddle sore for my benefit.

I've done many of the popular mods to the bike, having been a mechanic for many years I am completely comfortable fixing and modifying this bike. It is just high ech enough with out needing factory specific tools. Although I would bring a net book with tuneECU and an OBD2 cable, just incase I gat a check engine light (MIL) on.

Although I usually do my oil changes at about 4000 miles with Mobil 1 4T 10W40 I think the oil would hold up for the distance of the rally.

I've got a Ricks stator and a MOSFET regulator installed, since this is the one major issue with the bike, I would be bringing a spare of both configured for quick installation. Another stator mounted in another cover, and a regulator. I think of the two the stator would die first, the Mosfet regulators are stout.

Ive got heated gear, plans for wurton led lights, I would mount Michelin pilot road 3 trail tires since they wear very well. I would take an extra chain and two master links and the tools to install them.

I need extra fuel. The tigers fuel system is a non return system so connecting into the fuel rail return line to fill the tank won't work. I could install a bulk head aeroquip fitting into the steel mounting plate were the fuel pump and filter goes. Then mount a JEGS 5 gallon tank on the tail with a simple valve and gravity feed into the main tank when it gets low.

I get about 40-45 mpg loaded which would give me a range of 450-500 miles. The chain lube I use says it will go 500 miles between applications.

I've got a Wilbers 461 shock with external resivior and hydro preload in the mail and Rick at Cogent Dynamics is going to build me some cartridge forks. He's using some Honda XR650L forks and some tiger fork lowers.

I would love to install an electronic cruise control, and it might happen.

I'll be doing the saddle sore, and the three other rallys that I know of here in Texas.

I'm not at all discouraged by what I have read on this post, I like the discussion and I will post updates as they occur.